Book Review ‘The Electric Heir’ ~ Victoria Lee

The Electric Heir by Victoria Lee

Publication Date: March 17th 2020

Publisher: Skyscape

Series: Feverwake #2

Blurb: Six months after Noam Álvaro helped overthrow the despotic government of Carolinia, the Atlantians have gained citizenship, and Lehrer is chancellor. But despite Lehrer’s image as a progressive humanitarian leader, Noam has finally remembered the truth that Lehrer forced him to forget—that Lehrer is responsible for the deadly magic infection that ravaged Carolinia.

Now that Noam remembers the full extent of Lehrer’s crimes, he’s determined to use his influence with Lehrer to bring him down for good. If Lehrer realizes Noam has evaded his control—and that Noam is plotting against him—Noam’s dead. So he must keep playing the role of Lehrer’s protégé until he can steal enough vaccine to stop the virus.

Meanwhile Dara Shirazi returns to Carolinia, his magic stripped by the same vaccine that saved his life. But Dara’s attempts to ally himself with Noam prove that their methods for defeating Lehrer are violently misaligned. Dara fears Noam has only gotten himself more deeply entangled in Lehrer’s web. Sooner or later, playing double agent might cost Noam his life.

★★★★★/5

Book Review ‘Impossible Causes’ ~ Julie Mayhew

Impossible Causes by Julie Mayhew

Publication Date: November 5th 2019

Publisher: Raven Books (Bloomsbury)

Blurb: The Crucible meets The Craft in this brilliantly dark thriller about isolated communities, rumours and suspicion.

The arrival of three strangers on Lark, a remote island with a population of 300, is the cause of much speculation. The first, a young teacher – the only male teacher on the island – the other two, a mother and her teenage daughter. What have they come to escape? And what will they find waiting for them on Lark?

In Julie Mayhew’s mesmerising and compelling thriller, an isolated and deeply religious island with a history of paganism is riven when a man is found dead in a stone circle. As rumours spread and tensions rise, three Lark teenage girls and the new arrival from the mainland find themselves accused of witchcraft – and murder.

★★★/5

Waiting on Wednesday…The House in the Cerulean Sea

The House in the Cerulean Sea

Publication Date: March 17th 2020

Publisher: Tor Books

Blurb: A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

Few authors are as capable as making me Feel Feelings™ as TJ Klune. His writing is phenomenal and so the excitement for The House in the Cerulean Sea cannot be contained. I expect tears! I expect laughter! I expect joy! I expect TJ to once again crush my heart in front of my eyes!

Also this will be TJ’s first book with Tor – so there are bonus excitement points to see one of my favourite authors with one of my favourite publishers. (Not to mention after the hell he’s been through with {redacted} – may they burn in the fiery pits of hell – it’s what he deserves!)

Also I am in fucking love with that cover 😍😍

Is House in the Cerulean Sea on your tbr? I highly recommend it and that you check out the rest of his books in the mean time (though make sure they’re published by BOATK Books or RR Bowker).

Find The House in the Cerulean Sea
Goodreads ~ Dymocks ~ Book Depository

Find TJ Klune
Website ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads Author Page

Mini Review ‘Serpent & Dove’ ~ Shelby Mahurin

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Publication Date: September 3rd 2019

Publisher: HarperTeen

Series: Serpent & Dove #1

Blurb: Bound as one, to love, honor, or burn. 

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.

Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.

★★/5

Review

I went into Serpent & Dove expecting to love it. It had a lot of hype, I’d seen a lot of great reviews and I had even put it on my 5 Star Book Predictions post. In the end I did not enjoy it.

At first I was enjoying it, the writing was lovely and it was something easy to sink into. However, there were several elements that no amount of lovely writing could erase.

1. The bioessentialism. Whilst I get that the author was probably trying to say witches are human, that’s not how it reads. “Witches can give birth, Reid.”…”That’s what makes them female.” Being able to give birth isn’t what makes someone a woman. Trans men, genderfluid and non-binary people exist. Plenty of women can’t give birth for various reasons.
2. Can we not refer to fat people walking as waddling. For the love of god.
3. There was a noticeable difference between how white characters were described (very detailed) and how the characters of colour (barely) were described.
4. I do love a good enemies to lovers storyline but I don’t know this one made me iffy. When the ‘enemy’ in this case is a straight, white, Christian-coded guy who uses ‘it’ to refer to a group of people and murders them without regret before he meets Lou, it’s less a fun trope and more like – I could walk outside to find people like this. I get that he grows and learns etc etc. but it just left a bad taste in my mouth.

These things culminated in me just not being able to enjoy it and part of me is wondering if I should bump it down to one star while writing this.

Find Serpent & Dove
Goodreads

Book Review ‘The Name of All Things’ ~ Jenn Lyons

The Name of All Things by Jenn Lyons

Publication Date: October 29th 2019

Publisher: Tor UK

Series: A Chorus of Dragons #2

RRP: AU$32.99

Blurb: You can have everything you want. If you sacrifice everything you believe . . .

Kihrin D’Mon is a wanted man after killing the Emperor of Quur – and not in a good way. So he heads for Jorat, to find the fourth person named in prophesy, who will either save or damn the world.

He meets Janel Theranon, who claims she already knows him. And she wants Kihrin’s help in saving Jorat’s capital from a dragon, who can only be slain with his sword’s magic. Unwittingly, Kirin also finds himself at the centre of a rebellion. One which puts him in direct opposition to Relos Var, his old enemy.

For too long, Janel’s battled the wizard alone – even betraying her ideals to bring him down. However, Var owns one of the world’s most powerful artefacts: the Name of All Things. It bestows knowledge, which Var uses to gain what he wants most. This is now Kihrin D’Mon – and the world may not survive the consequences.